Overlooking
the River Yamuna, and visible from the fort in the west, the Taj Mahal
stands at the northern end of vast gardens enclosed by walls. Though its
layout follows a distinctly Islamic theme, representing Paradise, it is
above all a monument to romantic love. Shah Jahan built the Taj to
enshrine the body of his favourite wife, Arjumand Banu Begum, better known
as Mumtaz Mahal ("Elect of the Palace"), who died shortly after
giving birth to her fourteenth child, in 1631.

Architects at Work
The names of the chief architects who worked on the Taj have been noted.
Ismail Afandi, who designed the hemispheres and built the domes was from
Turkey. Qazim Khan came from Lahore to cast the gold finial that would top
the dome. Chiranji Lal was called from Delhi to pattern the mosaic. From
Shiraz in Persia came master calligrapher, Amanat Khan. Stone cutter Amir
Ali was from Baluchistan. Ustad Isa of Tukey is however credited to have
been the main architect. It is believed that his design embodied much of
what the Emperor wanted to express.

Approach to the Taj MahalThe walled complex is approached from the south through a red sandstone
forecourt, Chowk-i Jilo Khana, whose wide paths, flanked by arched kiosks,
run to high gates in the east and west. The original entrance, a massive
arched gateway topped with delicate domes and adorned with Koranic verses,
stands at the northern edge of Chowk-i Jilo Khana, directly aligned with
the Taj, but shielding it from the view of those who wait outside. Today's
entrance, complete with security checks, is through a narrow archway in
the southern wall to the right of the gate.

Garden mausoleumThe mighty marble tomb stands at the end of superb gardens designed in the
charbagh style so fashionable among Moghul, Arabic and Persian architects.
Dissected into four quadrants by waterways, they evoke the Islamic image
of the Gardens of Paradise, where rivers flow with water, milk, wine and
honey. The "rivers" converge at a marble tank in the centre that
corresponds to al-Kawthar, the celestial pool of abundance mentioned in
the Koran. Today only the watercourse running from north to south is full,
and its precise, glassy reflection of the Taj is a favourite photographic
image.

Structure of The Taj Mahal
Essentially square in shape, with peaked arches cut into its sides, the
Taj Mahal surmounts a square marble platform marked at each corner by a
high minaret. Topped with a huge central dome, it rises for over 55m, its
height accentuated by a crowning brass spire, itself almost 17m high. On
approach, the tomb looms ever larger and grander, but not until you are
close do you appreciate both its awesome magnitude and the extraordinarily
fine detail of relief carving, highlighted by floral patterns of precious
stones. Carved vases of flowers including roses, tulips and narcissi, rise
subtly out of the marble base, a pa ttern repeated more colourfully and
inlaid with precious stones around the four great arched recesses
(pishtaqs) on each side.

The Taj Mahal TombThe south face of the tomb is the main entrance to the interior: a high,
echoing octagonal chamber flushed with pallid light reflected by yellowing
marble surfaces. A marble screen, cut so finely that it seems almost
translucent, and decorated with precious stones, scatters dappled light
over the cenotaph of Mumtaz Mahal in the centre of the tomb, and that of
Shah Jahan next to it. Inlaid stones on the marble tombs are the finest in
Agra; attendants gladly illuminate the decorations with torches. The 99
names of Allah adorn the top of Mumtaz's tomb, and set into Shah Jahan's
is a pen box, the hallmark of a male ruler. These cenotaphs, in accordance
with Moghul tradition, are only representations of the real coffins, which
lie in the same positions in an unadorned and humid crypt below that's
heavy with the scent of heady incense and rose petals.